Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-18


TkRsfATk-coNxEEcE LAW, THE SCARCITY OF SKILLED
woRKAEN, AND OTHER SUBJECTS BRoACHED-CoA-
NITEEEs APPoNTED TO-DAY, ETC.
The lobby of wnlard's Hotel swarmed this morn
ing with well-to-do looking men, who wore neat
SILK badges These men could tell you all there
Is worth knowing about carriage building and
could PROBABLY have given the parson who built
tne WONDERFUL one-hOss shay some points about
felioes ana hubs that would have delayed the final
catastropne TO the staunch vehicle for another
hundred years. They assembled to-day to attend
the opening session Of the 10Th annual con-
vention OF the Carriage Builders National Asso-
citation. This is prosperous association, number
ing over 300 members including about all the
prominent carriage builders OF the country. There
Is also large associate membership, elected from
trades or professions pertaining to the carriage
trade The association devotes itself according to
its constitution to "the promotion of the interests
@ OF carriage manufacturers" In pursuance OF this
where mechanical draughting and designing are
taugnt: ~ VIII consider this year many questions
OF interest both to the trade and the public.
among Cne matters OF Importance to be discussed
Will De report OF a committee In reference to the
timber supply Of the country. The sessions Of the
exhibition In connection with the convention has
Deen arranged In one OF the halls In the g. A. r.
t@aasrs, nnang opposite wiarS The secretary and
his Omce In one OF the parlors at Willards ana he
was busy this morning taking In $ bills as dues
ana issuing badges and tickets OF membership.
PRESIDENT sruDEBAKER's ADDRESS.
The convention was not called to order until
after II 80 O'Clock. Then President Studebaker,
who had ascended the platform In willard Hall,
struck the table with gavel and read brief ad-
Dress ne remarked that when he heard that
Masang1on naa been selected for the convention
ne had some misgtvtngs, as he feared members
mlgnt become so enamored Of the place as to go
t nome ana endeavor to persuade their people that
He thought they had many things to be thankful
for: The past year had been one OF unusual ac-
tlyity IN az the branches Of the industry. More
than during any year In the worlds history. He
contrasted the production OF 1910, when there
out cSsnseI Sea4
tnat OF the present time, when 1t is estimated
that there are $1,000 men employed in
the production being vailed at sfoo. .oo6, 900.
ne n% Io9ched ln, on many points to be considered
whether there was any feasible plan OF co-opera-
tion TO take the place OF the present wage system
Also he called attention to the apprentice system
y
PRESIDENT Studebaker declared the convention
opened for business
latlng the association, and making a statement OF
finances showing that he had on hand cash bal
ance OF 81 ,652.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE coNMITrER.
Mr.. II. c. McLear, chairman Of the executive
committee, then presented the report Of that com.
mittee. The report reviewed the work Of the as
sociatton since the last annual meeting held In
New York. '"rhe demand for our productions" !"
the report said, has largely increased, and busi-
ness generally has resumed satisfactory cOn0i-
ton We feel constrained however to repeat the
in1unct1Ons we have so often expressed in the past
and to remind members that season OF prosperity
like this Is always liable to be followed by over
production on the part OF too Sangine manufacture
ers resulting In oppressive competition that even
edy" Referring to the fact that competition had
even during the past year reduced the profit on
many classes of vehicles to an unremunerative
consider whether 1T Will not be for their individual
advantage, as well as for that OF the trade at
large, to increase their present selling prices on
many classes or carriages, even II their aggregate
output Is temporarily reduced As TO
THE LATE srRINGENcY OF THE MONEY MARKET,
the report said: "YOur committee believe that
they voice the sentiments OF this association in
endorsing the recent action OF the Treasurer of
the United states relative to purchase of Govern
Treasury as one proper means OF relieving this
members OF the trades we represent will do wen
extending their credits until the money
market again resumes normal condition"
The committees recommended that measures be
adopted TO secure q thorough canvass OF the trade
during the coming year, that the membership may
De Increased as far as possible and the permanence
teed. The working facilities OF the technical
ScnOol ln New York are now complete.
THE INTERSTATE Law.
After referring to other matters relating to the
trade the report said: 'Tn view OF the constant
source Of irritation due to local laws restricting
the sale Of goods by commercial travellers that
still remain In force In certain States and In re-
SpOnSe TO complaints that the pursuit OF Interstate
trade Is thereby Illegally 1nterfered with, which
are frequently referred ny members to your COM
mittee, we are led TO believe that the time has
come when IL Is advisable that this association
should enter formal protest against such unwtse
some time ago by war, and more recently by the
Supreme Court Of the United States, that this ma
and SI arH not a. Of
TO the privileges OF all other States All laws that
conflict with free interstate commerce should
consequently be abolished. The business OF car
riage building and OF the accessory trades is now
largely carried on through the instrumentality OF
travelling representatives, and we recommend that
meeting setting forth the rights OF commercial
travellers and importuning the proper authorities
TO see that such rights are respected"
SCARCITY OF SKILLED woRKMEN.
The report also said: 1--WE desire to call the at
tention of the association to the growing scarcity
Of skilled mechanics in the higher branches of our
trade and to invite discussion Of the subject with
q view TO discovering means Of relief. The old
peculiarly applicable TO our branch OF business
and some method of Increasing the supply OF
Crdlueu mecnanlcS must De 1Ound or serious tncOn-
venience will be felt in the future, and infe-
rtOr work will be the natural consequence. We
earnestly recommend full discussion OF this SUBJ
1ect at this meeting, and particularly hope that
some method may be devised to attract American
boys to learn the trade and afford them opportunI-
Ties Tor learning 1t thoroughly and well At pres
ent, In the absence OF any apprenticeship system
your trade school and the trade journals almost
the only sources OF regular instruction in the tech
MICS OF the trade that young men desiring to be-
come carriage mechanics have at their co1fmand:
and the recent custom OF depending upon Imported
labor for fresh recruits Is both unwise In principle
ana inadequate 90 meet Our growing needs. II the
art OF building in this country is to retain
its present high standard. keep pace with the pro-
national characteristics, then American Carriages
must be built by American workmen, and ample
facilities must be offered for the prvper training
OF young men in the shops We also recommend
this subject TO the attention OF all societies OF
W0rkingmen In any way aflhated with our trade"
the report also recommended the adopting Of
rect inches as the standard carriage track, and
expressed hearty greetings to sister societies In
England.
C0lM1TIEkS APPOINTED.
The chair announced the following committees:
Onprtzes-H. c. McIear, ]. D. Gribbon, 9. W. W.
H0Ukhton, r. N. stivers and Geo. n. Peters On
nomination OF onlcersNW. b. Atwood A. 8
cock.
special committee to consider the form OF q
receipt 1or storing carriages was appointed, con.
sastlng OF Messrs Sttvers, Abbott and Lane.
An Invitation from the dtrectOr-general Of the
Ohio Centennial Exposition to the Association to
attend ana take part In the exposition and also TO
was read.
A letter was read from Howard n. Dubois, from